Synthesis Post

Hello and welcome to All You Need to Know Ag, where we are all about agriculture and natural resources. We are a team of three Michigan State University undergraduate students in the fields of Fisheries and Wildlife, Animal Science and Agricultural Engineering. Our goal is to share as much information with you about our fields as we go about our experiences in college. Here is a brief description of each of our fields:

·       Fisheries and Wildlife – Development and management of the nation’s fish and wildlife resources.

·       Animal Science – Studying the biology of animals that are under the control of humankind.

·       Agricultural Engineering – Agricultural engineers apply technological advances to farming. (Bureau of Labor & Statistics)

This post is a complete synthesis of what we’ve learned over the course of writing our blog. We aim to cover the best things to do (which you will soon learn is hands on experience), what not to do, and discoveries that are waiting to be made. Continue reading to gain some insider tips, and read some of our other posts for some further great information!

Hands on Experience
          Have you ever heard the term don't knock it till you try it? Well when it comes to your major in order to get a proper feel of it you have to try it out in some sort of way. This can be by volunteering, internships, and study abroad. Also you can take entry level 100 courses for your major to try it out. When you learn from doing hands on activities we feel like you retain the information better and you can get quick reaction to whether or not you like something. If you look at the Prompt 8 post you will see an example of hands on work.

Source: http://doghumor.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/dog-humor-i-have-no-idea-what-im-doing.jpg

Without our 100 level classes, we all would be this dog.

          Networking through internships is a great way to gain experience. My academic adviser sends me emails with internship opportunities almost every day. The job might not be exactly what you want and you may or may not get paid. It will probably be some type of grunt work but you will be able to tell if you enjoy the work you are doing. Internships are also a great way to network and it looks great on job applications.

          Want to go somewhere warm with lots of sunshine? Go to the study abroad fair and find a program that works for you. The first week they will explain most study abroad options at the fair. And they will have one a month or so into the semester. They realize that this is a good opportunity for you grow as a person and get experiences that you wouldn't be able to get on a college campus in the middle of Michigan. Our majors have study abroad options on every continent. Yes I said every continent and yes that means Antarctica and yes it would be awesome to go.

          The point is you will be able to learn from books but when you get experience it is clear instantly if you like something. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and step out of your box. Experience new things and grow as a person. But now that we know what to do, what should we NOT do?

What Not To Do

         When trying to learn about animal science, fisheries and wildlife, agricultural engineering, or any other major in general, there are many things that you shouldn't do. One might think that using the internet as a major resource is a good idea, but that could potentially not be the best idea.

          Yes, one can get quite a bit of information from researching on the internet, but not all of it is completely accurate, and it's not getting you out in the world for hands-on experience. Sitting at home looking at a computer screen all day isn't going to help you all that much if you're trying to learn as much as you can about a field. Researching on a computer or out of books is going to lack information that can be given to you if you are actually out interacting with those who work in, or are familiar with the field. Also, by not going out to receive information, you aren't getting the full description of the field. If one is researching online, he/she will most likely look at an office of the registrar site that has a degree description. It will not be as good as seeing someone perform in that field and gaining first-hand knowledge.

Source: http://www.hillmangroup.com/images/EZClone_NoInternet.jpg

          According to one of our blog posts entitled "How Is Research Conducted?", the writer gave information on different ways that research is done in the field of agricultural engineering. But why are we telling you all this? We want you to be able to discover the many different things out there, just as we have.

Discovery

         Throughout our experiences, we've learned that there are a vast number of directions that you can go with your degree. Many people just getting started in the field just see the tip of the iceberg. What might look like a highly narrow field may present itself as a highly diverse opportunity with just a little bit of digging. This is exactly the case with what we've discovered here at the 'Everything You Need to Know Ag' Blog. Here are a few of our experiences in discovering different career tracks:

        In our post “Employment in Agricultural Engineering”, we learned that sometimes a field isn’t always what we expect it to be like. Many times engineering is thought of as an office job where people have a very narrow field of things that they do. In researching possible employers, we were able to be exposed to areas of agricultural engineering completely ‘under the radar’. Some of these include the tasks of collecting field samples, conducting research and reviewing field related literature. (“What Is an Agricultural Engineer”) However, the discoveries do not end there.

         These discoveries carry over directly to animal science, where we learned the many different possibilities that are not well known to the public. As we previously thought, many people find animal science as a career in which people work strictly in agriculture or as a veterinarian. Our post Types of Work done in the Field of Animal Science goes into detail about how we’ve discovered that this is not the case. With a little bit of research and contact with people already in the field, we learned an enormous number of possibilities in animal science. Click the link and check them out!

         Finally, in fisheries and wildlife, most people think of careers such as a conservation officer or wildlife biologist. While this is true, we learned what this could truly mean for a career in fisheries in wildlife. Fisheries and wildlife may include both work in the field and work in a laboratory. Many different environmental factors and their effects are studied by fisheries and wildlife majors. Learn more of what we discovered by reading Jake’s post – What can you do?

          Anybody interested in pursuing a degree in Animal Science, Fisheries and Wildlife or Agricultural Engineering should truly take exploring different opportunities seriously. Here at 'Everything You Need to Know Ag' blog, we've discovered that something that may not look as appealing on the surface as you might actually find it to be. Hidden below the surface of each degree has many different careers and pathways virtually unknown to anyone not an expert in the field.


Sources:

"What Is an Agricultural Engineer?" How to Become an Agricultural Engineer. Environmental Science, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Agricultural Engineers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/agricultural-engineers.htm (visited November 16, 2015).

Prompt 3 - Interview with an Engineer: Writing in Engineering

By: Tyler Lahusky

Writing is involved in every field and every career. Many of us don't realize how big writing truly is in our fields. In order to learn more about what writing in agricultural engineering what it is like, I contacted Bill Begg, a Principal Instrumentation and Controls engineer. Begg is Vice President of As-Built Management engineering firm. His daily activities include proposal development, project scoping, developing design documents, device specification and PLC programming. Here are the questions I asked him about writing in engineering and the responses I received:

On a daily basis, how much writing is involved in engineering?

According to Begg, the amount of writing in engineering varies each day, but almost all of the communication that he does involves some sort of writing. He says there are five main types of writing that he does on a daily basis. These include the topics listed below. Begg also gives a brief overview of what accompanies these forms of writing in which I also describe below:

• Proposals to Clients
• This typically involves explaining a technical execution of a job in a non-technical language. In other words, it is a proposal to a client that involves a complete translation from engineering talk to everyday language. Proposals to clients usually involve five main areas - Overview/Background, Scope of Work, Deliverables (What exactly are we going to do), Execution, and schedule. 
• Design Basis
• Design basis is telling whoever needs to know what a process accomplishes right now, and what they want the process to accomplish upon changes. These include a large amount of information and are usually made up of mainly numbers. However, Begg says that explanation is often necessary to explain things to a non-technical person.
• Training Documentation
• Training documentation is the explanation of operation and maintenance of equipment. The audience of training documentation is the machine operator and is typically written in the consumer companies preferred format, according to Begg.
• Progress Reports/Updates
• Progress reports, Begg says, are usually an outline format of performance against the stated deliverables (what the machine is actually supposed to do).
• Notes and Journals
• Notes and journals are often used by Begg to capture his own thoughts. Many times he writes long winded notes to himself to organize and remember thoughts on a particular project.

What is the typical genre of writing that is involved in engineering?

Begg says that writings in engineering are most often done in a technical form. Many times the audience prefers highlights of a subject in the form of bulleted technical writing.

In general, who is the audience of most writing completed as an engineer?

According to Begg, there are six typical audiences for writing as an engineer. These include:

1. Project Managers
2. Other Engineers
3. Vendors or Equipment Providers
4. Corporate Management
5. Plant Workforce (ie. operations and maintance)

As you move up the company ladder, does the amount of writing increase or decrease?

In Beggs experience, the amount of writing in engineering increases as you move up the company ladder. Instead of verbalizing much of your explanation and communication, Begg says that as engineers mature and advance in the company, engineers will write more and use communication in the form of writing to their benefit.

Out of all the tasks you have as an engineer, is writing an enjoyable task for you?

According to Begg, writing in engineering has become an enjoyable part of his career. Begg says that throughout his engineering experience and company advancement, he has learned to greatly appreciate writing in engineering as a form of communication.

In your opinion, what are some common misconceptions about writing in engineering?

Begg says there are a number of misconceptions about writing in engineering. Some of these misconceptions might include that writing in engineering is too technical and difficult to understand. Many people believe that it is too difficult to turn writing in engineering into prose, and that all engineering writing is formulas. Lastly, many people believe that engineers do not know how to write, which is another common misconception according to Begg.

To end the interview, Begg left me with some tips for writing in engineering. He says to always state the conclusions first as that is what people want to know. Always support all of your statements, and lastly, writing in engineering should follow the same format as any persuasive writing format. After talking to Begg about writing in engineering, I gained a much greater insight to the type of writing that I will encounter as an agricultural engineer. I hope you also learned something new about writing in engineering from this interview, and a thank you to Bill Begg for allowing me to interview him.

Prompt 10

Misrepresentation of a field could potentially be the downfall of a business or a department. It can lead to lawsuits or termination of positions. At thebirdhuntingsociety.weebly.com under misrepresentation of facts it gives a brief explanation of swans. Mute swans were not federally protected because they were not native and not migratory birds. What does this mean? People could shoot them at anytime of the year. This in itself could lead to the decimation of a population of swans in a area. The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife were thinking that the legal shooting would keep down the number of feral mute swans.

                                       
                                                                           Mute Swans

This lead to a lawsuit where the Swans had to be put onto the protected list meaning they were considered native species. This lead to an increase of feral mute swans and it threatened other populations. Eventually the lawsuit was dropped and a management plan was set into place.


If the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife would have represented their information better this incident might not have happened.

Ways they could have presented the information better.

• Use of statistics and charts
• This would show the amount of feral vs Mute swans in the wild
• Show population trends in the Swans

The problems with this piece was the lack of any use of statistics. Without stats it is hard to show trends in population and if your plan for management is working. Also there was a lack of research in the piece. Your argument is stronger with the facts from the research you did. With sufficient evidence, statistics, and facts the lawsuit might not have happened at all. Because of the lawsuit they had to start over with population management efforts.

Sources:
"Help Pass NY Senate Bill to Save Mute Swans." Friends of Animals -. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.

"The Bird Hunting Society." The Bird Hunting Society. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.

Jake B

Prompt #9 Recognizing Significance in Animal Science

       While searching for a news story for this prompt, I wasn't seeming to have much luck. I looked for a pretty decent amount of time, until I came across an article about 60,000 antelopes were all killed in a matter of 4 days. I was intrigued, and I knew that it would be able to show the importance of animal science and those working in the field.

       This particular incident with the antelopes took place in Kazakhstan, and a geoecologist and his colleagues were the ones who went to Asia to try to figure out this unusual phenomenon. They came to the conclusion that more than half of the herd died; and it happened very rapidly. From the research of geoecologists, veterinarians, and many others with further knowledge on animals came to the conclusion that one of the biggest roles in the death of so many antelopes was bacteria. According to those who researched this odd phenomenon, something like this hasn't been observed for any other species. It was observed that the females were the ones to pass the quickest, with their calves being next. With that information, is has been thought that whatever was killing the antelopes was being transmitted through the mothers' milk.

       Obviously, according to this article, without those who went to Asia, we wouldn't know anything about what killed the antelopes. It isn't positive what exactly was the cause, but those who researched it have a pretty good idea of what happened. In the field of animal science, there are a lot of career options, like I have stated in previous blog posts. In a situation like this one in Asia, someone who studied animal science would be the perfect person to go there and try to figure out what went wrong. Without animal scientists, situations like that would be unsolved and animals would be dying out a lot faster than they already are. We need people in the world to be able to deal with situations such as this one.

- Jamie R.

Source:

Ghose, Tia. "What Killed 60,000 Antelope in 4 Days? : DNews." DNews. Discovery Communications, 4 Sept. 2015. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.                         

Prompt 8

For my major you have the ability to do field research. What happens when something goes wrong while you are in the field? You could be stuck in the woods for a night or two and if you do not have basic survival skills such as shelter making and fire building you could freeze to death. This blog post is going to show pictures of my first attempt at building a shelter and fire building.

To start the shelter my team and I decided that we were going to build a raised platform. We took three logs and made a triangle base and then took 6 inch diameter longs and stacked them on the base making a platform. Next we took a thick branch that was forked at the end (looked like a Y) and wedged it at a base of one tree and on the trunk of another. This was support to the shelter. In the picture above you can see that we used thicker branches and leaned them on the support branch. Next we took smaller sticks and weaved them in and out for siding.

Lastly we put long grass on the side to keep it insulated.


My group thought this was going to be the best shelter out of the entire class. However when we were finished Dr. Hayes had a handout about the shelter you should build. The shelter we build was an A frame which is what you want to build. However there was to much space in between the roof and the ground which causes heat to escape. Also on the outside you want to use about 2-3 feet of leaves to cover your shelter. This will help trap heat in and it will make the shelter water proof.

Fire building is a skill that will keep you alive in a survival situation. It will keep you warm and you can cook and boil bad water. We built this fire using pine needles and grass. We didn't have matches or a lighter, instead we used flint. I will not lie we didn't succeed our first try. It took a long time to get it started but we succeeded. A suggestion that I have to people who are going out into the woods or camping. Keep a bag of cotton balls with vasoline on them. They ignite quickly and will help start your fire.

The point of this blog is to show how a hands on activity was different than learning from a book. A book can give you instructions or suggestions on how to do something. However in a life or death situation you do not know if you can do these things if you have never tried or practiced. In my field we work in nature so my Professor wanted us to have the basic skills so we wouldn't potentially die if we were stuck over night. This revealed that my field is more dangerous than previously thought. I should take extra survival classes to prepare for it.

Jake B

Importance of Animal Science

       When one thinks about the field of animal science, the first thing that most likely pops into their minds is veterinarian. I know this from personal experience. Whenever others ask me what my major is, and I respond with "animal science", they typically ask me if I'm trying to become a vet. I have to explain to them that I want to end up working at a zoo, and that my intended future career is not a veterinarian.

       Even though a veterinarian is a possible career with animal science, there are many other career options that are just as important to the world as a vet is. Veterinary science is very necessary in the world. Without it, pet owners would be losing pets without even giving them a fighting chance at life. But one reason why animal scientists are so important to the world is because they are the ones who produce the meat that everyone eats. According to animalsmart.org, "animal scientists work with farmers to improve animal breeding, diseases and nutrition . When animals grow well and stay healthy, farmers can produce more meat, milk or eggs for our consumption. Animal scientists also work with farmers to decrease the environmental impact of animal agriculture" (Animal Smart, "Why is Animal Science Important?).

There are many other reasons why animal science is important to the world including:

• Advances in food safety
• Keeping us clothed with animal fabrics such as wool
• Animal scientists learn about draft animals for labor
• Protecting human health by studying diseases
• Keeping out pets healthy (veterinarians)
• Helping to preserve exotic wildlife

Source:

"Why Is Animal Science Important?" Animal Smart. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Impact of Agricultural Engineering

By: Tyler Lahusky

"There are many jobs you can do with your degree, like feeding the world" - John Deere Company

Agricultural engineering is unlike many other careers or degrees that someone can obtain. It is not something that can be thought of as a "take it or leave it" career. Instead, agricultural engineering is a necessary career in a growing world with many growing issues. As the world population rises, problems present themselves in the form of food shortages, water shortages, health issues and a growing energy crisis. Agricultural engineers are a select group of people that set out to battle these issues and keep the world turning, improving life for everyone throughout the world. ("History | BAE")

The Mission - To improve the quality of life by integrating and applying principals of engineering and biology to systems involving food, environment, energy and health. - Michigan State University ("History | BAE")

Working in these areas, agricultural engineers work to improve food quality and bio-security. This is done in a number of different ways, but all with the same impact in mind - creating a safer food industry in the world. This is just one of the ways that agricultural engineering affects each and every one of us in our everyday lives. Along with food safety, a growing population has created a massive energy crisis. In order to combat this energy crisis, it is agricultural engineers that work to create innovative biological solutions to new energy sources. New biological energy sources has a lasting impact on the environment as we can discontinue our use of non-renewable energy sources, as well as a lasting impact on everyone's wallet. ("History | BAE")

When people think of agriculture, they think of farming. This is another major task that agricultural engineers undertake in their quest to improve the world. Farming techniques are constantly in need of improvement to save money and increase yield to supply a growing population. In order to do this, new processes and machinery must be invented to get the job done. Agricultural engineers design these processes and machines to make life easier for today's farmers and bring greater amounts of fresh food to more tables throughout the world. ("What does an Agricultural Engineer do?")

If you read my post about biotechnology, you may already have an idea of what it is and the impact it may have. Biotechnology is the genetic modification of organisms to create a better product as the result. The impact of biotechnology through the work of agricultural engineers is highly significant. Implementation of biotechnology has the power to alter the course of world hunger and malnutrition. People who live in climates were it is difficult to grow certain foods would be able to grow new plants through genetic engineering, allowing access to nutrients they never had access to before. Biotechnology also allows agricultural engineers to create things like a new way to vaccinate for disease. For example, in order to vaccinate for a specific disease, agricultural engineers genetically modify a fruit to grow that vaccine. Therefore, all one has to do is eat the fruit to become vaccinated. (Frompovicz)

Clearly the work of agricultural engineers is not anything close to mediocre, but is a career that has a lasting impact and can ultimately change the world. For more insight as to what an agricultural engineer does and the impact they have, watch the video below from Michigan State University on Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.

Source: http://www.egr.msu.edu/bae/news/biosystems-engineering-meeting-needs-humankind-sustainably

Sources:

 "History | BAE." History | BAE. Michigan State University, 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

"What Does an Agricultural Engineer Do?" NCSU Biological Agricultural Engineering. North Carolina State University, 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015. 

Frompovicz, H. (2006). A Growing Controversy: Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=elj&sei-redir=1&referer=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=controversy%20in%20agricultural%20engineering&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFj

Controversy in Agricultural Engineering: Biotechnology (Prompt 7)

By: Tyler Lahusky

Every field, no matter what it may be, contains a subject or argument that poses some controversy within the field. Many times these can be little things that come up as research is conducted, but other times they are major innovations that could have a lasting impact. The most common controversial topic in agricultural engineering is biotechnology. Many people may know biotechnology as genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMO's) that they may or may not find at the store. It is clear what biotechnology is and what it does, but there are two main arguments within the agricultural engineering world and in the public eye about biotechnology - do the benefits outweigh the risks, or do the risks outweigh the benefits? (Frompovicz)

History

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the risks and benefits for yourselves, you must understand the history of biotechnology and what it is at the present time. Biotechnology was first invented back in the 1500's. Different that what is expected to be considered biotechnology and genetic engineering today, cross-breeding plants and animals was the first version of biotechnology. Cross breeding, or selective breeding, is the selection of 2 organisms of the same species and breeding them to produce an offspring that contains both of the desired traits from the 2 parent organisms. To this day, almost all major crops that we know have been selectively bred to the state that they are now. (Frompovicz)

Present Day

In modern times, biotechnology has evolved to something quite different than what was used in the 1500's and the 1800's. Although the main idea is much of the same, the process is very different. Today, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is taken from an organism with a desired trait and inserted into the DNA of another, completely different, organism. This allows scientists today to take DNA from many different organisms and stack desired traits and characteristics into one single organism, such as corn for example. The goal of biotechnology is to create an overall better product in a number of different aspects. It is estimated that about 70% of food on the shelf at the grocery store today has genetically modified organisms contained in it. (Frompovicz) So why all the controversy? To answer that, we must know the benefits, and the risks alike.

Source: http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/infogram-particles-700/blankenshipnp1361301304.jpg

The Benefits

There are endless possibilities for benefits in biotechnology with the number of different traits you can mix in organisms. Highlighted here are just some of the main benefits scientists are working on and are within the grasp of genetic engineering today. Already in place all over the world, biotechnology has created crops that are resistant to pesticides and herbicides. This allows for cheaper products used on fields for weed control and higher yield with less irrigation, as all the water goes directly to the crops and not the weeds. Many foods can be engineered to have increased nutritional value and grow vitamins and nutrients that they never before have grown. Yes, this means you get a better 'bang for your buck' when you eat a GMO banana and can pass up on the orange. Not to mention, when you buy that banana, biotechnology can increase the shelf life of the food you buy. Just these few, simple things biotechnology can do may go a long way. With increased shelf life and an increase in nutritional value, biotechnology can be put on the front line for fighting world hunger and malnutrition. (Frompovicz) So what are we waiting for?

The Risks

So what are the risks to all this agricultural engineers ask? There's one problem - we don't know. Currently, there is no direct evidence of GMO's being harmful to humans or the environment. However, as a fairly new technology, the public remains very weary of it which holds back many agricultural engineers and researchers. Most of the GMO's today are used as a food source for animals or in processed food for people. But the thing is, the long term effects of using biotechnology are simply unknown. Many scientists and agricultural engineers are concerned about the effects it may have on the environment. It may be possible for a genetically modified organism to transfer its traits (through pollination or breeding) to a wild organism and spreading it throughout the environment. The effects on the wild plant that obtained the genetically modified trait would be unknown. These effects could range from harmless, to catastrophic to the environment and ecosystem, throwing everything out of balance. (Frompovicz)

You Decide

Now that you know what biotechnology is and the risks and benefits behind it, it's your turn to decide. This is a very familiar issue to agricultural engineers all over the globe. Everyone must wrestle with controversial issues such as these in order to improve the world and keep it safe. So what do you think? Place yourself into the shoes of an agricultural engineer and comment below on your stance on biotechnology.

Source: Frompovicz, H. (2006). A Growing Controversy: Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=elj&sei-redir=1&referer=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=controversy%20in%20agricultural%20engineering&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFj

Why Should You Care?

It is a simple question and it can rock an arguments foundation to the core. Why should I/You care?

"Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish caught will we realise we cannot eat money"

This is such a powerful quote from the Cree Indians. It is a straight forward quote but the meaning is still incredibly and sadly relevant today. As industry continues to grow more ecological problems arise. Rain forest are being cut down to make more room for fields that can grow cash crops. In the United States forest are cut for paper and for building houses. When you build a house you have to clear land for lumber and so you can develop the area. When you clear an area of trees or if you clear an area of anything that is key to survival for animals, the populations there will be drastically effected. If a prairie is destroyed so you can build you are destroying a dwindling biome which are incredibly hard to restore.

The fishing and the poison can be roughly put into the same group. People dump so much waste into water sources and it isn't funny. I pulled a t.v out of the Red Cedar behind the Library for one of my labs. What is the point of dumping in the river when you can find better ways to take care of garbage?
Over fishing is a major problem as well. In order to keep up on the growing demands for more food sources commercial fishing boats have to pull more and more fish out of the water. Eventually enough will be enough and there will be nothing left. You can't eat money and we need to do something to slow down and invest in our environment.


The second quote won't be explained as much because I want you to reflect and see how you feel about it. Your parents brought you into this world so you could do your part to try and change it for the better. We want our children to live a better life than we have lived. How can we do this if we leave the world a giant mess? This is why I care. I want my future children to enjoy nature, this could be reading under a tree in the back yard or hiking through Yellowstone.

You should care because without nature we have nothing, it is as simple as that and you can't argue it. Well you can but I will refuse to respond to you. Without nature we wouldn't have the nutrients we need to live and that is a pretty important thing.

So next time you are standing next to a recycling bin with your Mountain Dew and you throw it into the trash or if you just toss something on the side of the road think about what that will do to the world. It could hurt an animal and recycling doesn't take that long to do anyways.

If that hasn't opened your eyes think about are squirrels. Here at MSU we love our squirrels. We wouldn't do anything to purposely hurt them. Throw out your garbage and recycle.

Go Green
Jake B.

Research in Animal Science

       In the field of animal science, research can be done in many different ways. According to the Michigan State University website, many different animals are used such as farm animals, companion animals, and even more. There are animal handling facilities located on and near campus, and this is how it typically is on most college campuses. Most research that is done in this field is focused on "key areas of animal agriculture that are of priority to producers, sustainable agriculture and basic biology, some of which interface with areas of biomedical and environmental relevance. These include Animal Breeding, Statistical Genetics and Molecular Genetics, Animal Health, Animal Production Systems and Management, Behavior and Welfare, Exercise Physiology, Functional Genomics and Bioinfomatics, Growth Biology and Meat Science, Lactation Biology, Non-ruminant Nutrition, Nutritional and Digestive Physiology, Microbiology, Reproduction and Endocrinology, Ruminant Nutrition, Skeletal Physiology, Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, and Toxicology" (MSU, Research). When it comes to research, one can be in a laboratory, or could choose to research out in the field physically with animals. There are many options for research in almost every field out there.

 - Jamie R.

 Source:
"Department of Animal Science." Research. Michigan State University, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.                         

How Is research conducted?

There are two types of research for fisheries and wildlife, field research and lab research.

Field Research:

Field research is conducted outside of a laboratory and the areas could vary. For example, field research could take place in the middle of the woods or in a residence hall within a University. With field research the researcher gets a better understanding of the environment and the interactions that are taking place within. This type of research "offers contextual data on settings, interactions, or individuals". Because you are observing the behavior of animals your data could be misrepresented because of atypical behavior within a group of animals. This could be a single goose flying 50 yards to the right of the standard V formation. The way you gather information is with your field notes on your observations. You can also use videos or pictures to capture the behaviors of animals. We use both of these in my Fisheries and Wildlife lab class. Field research isn't always the best option because it takes up a ton of time and money. It takes time for a person to become familiarized with an area and the populations within said area.

If you enjoy hands on experience and learn through doing the field is where you should be. I personally enjoy field research better than the lab because you get to experience nature while doing it. Id love to be the person who sticks their face into the water to look for snails or doing a pebble count or whatever they are doing in the picture above.
"Field Research." Field Research. Child Care and Early Education Research Connections. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.

Lab Research:

The definition of lab research is research that is done in a room that is fit for scientific experiments. A benefit of lab research is the fact that it is conducted in a controlled environment. A person can manipulate variables and observe the reactions. This is beneficial because you don't have to spend a lot of time trying to familiarize yourself with a place. In my LB 144 class my group is working with pond snails. If we were to do field research we would have to spend most of our time in a body of water looking for snails the size of a pea. If you are crunched for time lab research is the way to go in my opinion. It takes out environmental variation and makes your experiment more accurate.


Jake B.

How to Research in Agricultural Engineering

By: Tyler Lahusky

Many different forms of research exist in the modern world of science, technology and engineering. Different fields have unique processes for conducting research that relate specifically to that field and suit their needs. Agricultural engineering is no different! Analyzing a number of published articles of research in agricultural engineering, I was able to determine three distinct ways that research is conducted within the field. This includes the method that most learned back in elementary school - the scientific method, along with real world analysis and engineering design processes. Real world analysis should be slightly familiar to us, as everyone does a simplified version of it in their everyday lives. However, engineering design processes may not be familiar to many of us. Here is how research is conducted in each of these ways in agricultural engineering.

Experimental Studies

Experimental studies in agricultural engineering generally relate to the scientific method. There is typically a dependent and independent variable present in a designed experiment. Using the scientific method, engineers are able to draw conclusions based on the preceding steps. For those unaware, the scientific method is a multiple step process, that typically follows steps similar to those such as these:

1. Identify the problem/question
2. Perform research on the subject
3. Construct a hypothesis
4. Test hypothesis by experimentation
5. Communicate results and draw a conclusion

(Source: "Steps of the Scientific Method." Steps of the Scientific Method. Science Buddies, 2015. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.)

The example I located of experimental research in agricultural engineering was from a study done on the impact of evaporative cooling preservation on the shelf life of fruits and vegetables in Southwestern Nigeria. Like most experimental studies, this was performed in a laboratory setting. Different fruits and vegetables were placed in a controlled environment while other fruits and vegetables of the same type were left out in simulated conditions of Southwestern Nigerian climate. Using the control and experimental species, along with following the scientific method, these agricultural engineers were able to complete their research and create solutions to a historical problem. (Ndukwu)

Real World Analysis

On a day to day basis, most of us use real world analysis simply by observing and drawing conclusions. This is much like one of the ways that agricultural engineers conduct research, only in much greater detail. Real world analysis involves observation of events that have occurred, are occurring or are planned to occur. In many instances, a specific sampling of what is being measured is selected and statistics are used to draw a specific conclusion. An example of this is researching the change in agricultural transportation in relation with it's effect on the environment in Sweden. This study happened in 1999 when an specific area in Sweden was undergoing recent negative environmental influences. To study the cause, agricultural engineers used GPS systems to monitor trucks and transportation vehicles used in agricultural transport throughout the area. They used this data to draw a conclusion on the transportation changes and its effect on the environment and attempted to condense travel and improve the environment. (Gebresenbet) This is a great example where real world analysis is at work, using observations of current agricultural events to create solutions to a problem.

(Source: http://www.northernlanduse.com/wp-content/uploads/Trunk_Road_WellHouseMap.jpg)

Engineering Design Process

Unless you are an engineer, you probably have never heard of the engineering design process. This is one of the most common methods of research used among agricultural engineers and engineers of all disciplines. Also referred to as the engineering algorithm, this process is an extremely thorough solution and testing process. This typically consists of a number of steps such as these:

1. Define the problem
2. Perform background research
3. Specify design and solution requirements
4. Brainstorm possible solutions
5. Choose the best solution
6. Perform development work
7. Build a prototype
8. Test and redesign

(Source: "The Engineering Design Process." Steps of the Scientific Method. Science Buddies, 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.)

An example I found where the engineering design process was used is research completed for reducing pollution of ammonia and odor from spreading animal slurry. A new method to fertilize crops without releasing ammonia and odor to the environment was needed due to government regulation. This provided a problem for agricultural engineers to come up with a solution for. These engineers went through each step of the process, performing background research and coming up with the best solution of injecting the plants with slurry instead of spreading it. This new design was implemented and tested with successful findings. The new process is now in the testing and redesign phase as agricultural engineers work to further improve the design. (Pahl) Using the engineering design process, agricultural engineers were able to work toward a solution to an identified problem, implement that solution, and improve it for everyday use.

Sources:

 Ndukwu, M. C., and S. I. Manuwa. "Impact of Evaporative Cooling Preservation on the Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetable in South Western Nigeria." Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

 Gebresenbet, G., and D. Ljungberg. "IT—Information Technology and the Human Interface: Coordination and Route Optimization of Agricultural Goods Transport to Attenuate Environmental Impact." IT-Information Technology and the Human Interface: Coordination and Route Optimization of Agricultural Goods Transport to Attenuate Environmental Impact. Elsevier Ltd., 3 May 2002. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

 Pahl, O., R. J. Godwin, M. J. Hann, and T. W. Waine. "SW—Soil and Water: Cost-Effective Pollution Control by Shallow Injection of Pig Slurry into Growing Crops." SW-Soil and Water: Cost-Effective Pollution Control by Shallow Injection of Pig Slurry into Growing Crops. Elsevier Ltd., 3 May 2002. Web. 30 Oct. 2015. 

Prompt #6: Evaluating the book "Life at the Zoo" by Phillip T. Robinson

       The source that I chose to evaluate was a book written by Phillip T. Robinson called "Life at the Zoo". The author talks about his own experiences from when he was working at the San Diego Zoo. He shares some of his own interesting stories, along with talking about what it is like to work in a zoo. He talks about the rewards of working in this type of environment, along with the dangers.
       One of the many career paths in the field of animal science is an animal trainer. That can be classified very broadly as many different things. Someone could be working in an environment such as sea world, training the dolphins or whales. Someone could also be in an environment like a zoo, such as the author of this book. Because of that, I will be reading what he has said about zookeepers and what kind of work they have to do.
       According to Robinson, "the new kids (new zookeepers) were often delegated the more mundane tasks, such as hosing, raking, cleaning, and chopping veggies, in the manner of a progressive apprenticeship" (Robinson page 44). From the research I have done and from the information that I already know about zookeeping and animal science, this statement is very true. When one is first starting out in a zoo, he or she will have little to almost no contact or interaction with animals. They have to do tasks that aren't as interesting, but eventually they will make their way up to being a keeper and working with the animals. That also goes with the amount of money that the worker will be making yearly. Throughout the first year, one might not make much money at all, but as time goes on and experience is gained, the salary will become bigger.
       Robinson also said, "Some keeper assignments are, unquestionably, more desirable than others. Taking goat droppings off of a steep hillside or cleaning carnivore stools out of a drainpipe just might not be your cup of tea--more of a "reward" for political transgressions" (Robinson page 45). According to what I have learned about this career, this is also a very true statement. Most of the jobs that a keeper does are not very appealing. Cleaning the animal exhibits is probably the dirtiest task, and it also requires the most time. If one wants to work in a zoo, they need to be prepared to do a lot of cleaning.
       Zookeepers "must be mentally alert and be able to pay attention to all daily duties. Must have quick reflexes and be able to react quickly to changing animal situations. Must be able to walk and run quickly as needed. Will require close contact with large, wild animals" (Robinson page 45). All of this is also very true. Being a keeper is a very demanding job, requiring a lot of strength and the ability to think quickly, but it is also very rewarding. Being able to be around animals every day as a career would be so gratifying.

Phillip T. Robinson's "Life at the Zoo"

- Jamie R.

Source:
Robinson, Phillip T. Life at the Zoo. Chichester: Columbia University Press, 2004. Print.

Prompt 5

My major is Fisheries and Wildlife, on campus we have many clubs that could be associated with this. Squirrel watching and Fishing club and even the Outdoors club are a few examples of this. The Fisheries and Wildlife club is the club/organization that best fits with my major (shocker).

If you follow the hyper link in the first small paragraph it will take you to the MSU FW Club home page. From there you can go on the about us page or the prezi at the bottom.The Club meets Thursdays at 6:30 pm in room 221 in the Natural Resource building. If you want to join the club they do ask for 10 dollars a semester.They are a great group of people and are welcoming to new comers.

The club likes to email you every week and tell you what their plans are for that week. You can also go onto the website and see what they are doing for that week. Recently they did a river cleanup. They went into the Red Cedar and pulled garbage out of it. These fine men and women are truly dedicated to the environment. As a result they pulled three bike racks out of the river.

If you are interested in the club I suggest you go to the meeting on Thursdays or go to the website and add your email to the email list or go to the contact page and email the officers directly.

Jake




Sources:

"MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club." MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.

Employment in Agricultural Engineering

By: Tyler Lahusky

Employment in agricultural engineering includes a vast range of opportunities. Numerous companies in society hire agricultural engineers for many different engineering and agricultural related needs. To get an idea of what the nature of these companies might be, an understanding of what agricultural engineers do in the workforce is necessary. Agricultural engineers may perform any of the following tasks, along with many more that are not listed.

• Design new forms of irrigation, drainage and flood or water control systems
• Perform reviews of research and literature related to their field
• Collect field samples and control samples for problem solving and research analysis
• Construction design of agricultural buildings and storage facilities
• Design of many different kinds of agricultural equipment
• Advocate sustainable agricultural practices
• Research new and better ways of farming
• Conduct research regarding new designs and improvements for current farming practices

(Source: "What Is an Agricultural Engineer?" How to Become an Agricultural Engineer. Environmental Science, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.)

(Source: http://work.chron.com/DM-Resize/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/41/192/78295358.jpg?w=650&h=406&keep_ratio=1&webp=1

The breakdown of employment of agricultural engineers does not include all the different possibilities. It covers some of the most popular employment opportunities of agricultural engineers. As of 2012, the partial breakdown of agricultural engineer employment was as follows:

• 17% - Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
• 16% - Federal Government
• 14% - Food Manufacturing
• 13% - Agriculture, Construction and Mining Machinery
• 6% - Educators

(Source : "What Is an Agricultural Engineer?" How to Become an Agricultural Engineer. Environmental Science, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.)

Using a popular job search website called “Indeed”, I was able to locate a number of companies that were hiring agricultural engineers. Many of the jobs I found using the website fell under the design category, but that may be a biased sample based on the sampling method of using an online job website. Here are the results that I was able to locate:

• Bolten & Menk Inc. - Agricultural Drainage/Water Resources Engineer (Bolten & Menk)
• Dynamic Technical Services - Mechanical Design Engineer in Agricultural Construction (Dynamic Technical Services)
• RFA Engineering - Product Engineering for Equipment (RFA Engineering)
• John Deere - Ag and Turf Division Engineer for Real Axle Components (John Deere)
• Caterpillar - Develop and Validate Cooling Components (Caterpillar)
• Great Plains Inc. - Design Engineer for Agricultural Equipment (Great Plains)

Sources: 

"Agricultural Drainage/Water Resources Engineer (EI)." Bolten and Menk Inc., 17 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

Services - Bettendorf, IA." Indeed.com. Dynamic Technical Services, 8 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"Experienced Product Engineer." - RFA Engineering. RFA Engineering, 20 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"Mechanical Design Engineer and Project Engineer Job - Oxbo International - Clear Lake, WI." Indeed.com. Oxbo International, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"Taleo - Global." Taleo - Global. John Deere, 14 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"Senior Engineer-Design (Cooling Component Design Lead)." Caterpillar. Caterpillar Inc., 21 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"Design Engineers." Steve.johnson. Great Plains, 16 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"What Is an Agricultural Engineer?" How to Become an Agricultural Engineer. Environmental Science, 2015. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

Possible Employers in the Field of Animal Science

        In the field of animal science, there are many different career options, which means that there are many different employers for those working in that field. Some of those employers can include those in charge of animal breeding associations, pharmaceutical firms, meat processors, and food distributors. These people would hire workers to do the majority of the hands on work, while the employers watch over to make sure everything is going smoothly. Other employers could include those who are the head of breeding and livestock marketing organizations. Those who become research and lab technicians usually are employed by government agencies and private firms. Those animal scientists who are working in the educational area of the field and who work with the consumers of animal products can be employed by the National Cattlemen's Association, National Pork Producers Council, the National Dairy Herd Improvement Association, and others. Those who are trained as teachers, researchers, laboratory technicians, and extension specialists can be employed by Universities, colleges, and other educational organizations. Writers and communicators with animal sciences training are employed by the various animal industries in advertising, publications work, and public information activities. Those who have careers as animal caretakers,  technicians, gamekeepers, and veterinary assistants can be employed by zoos, kennels, horse farms, animal clinics, and animal preserves. There are what seems like endless opportunities when it comes to be employed in the field of animal science.

This shows a zoo manager checking in on the animals to make sure everything is running smoothly

Jamie R

Source:

"What Career Opportunities Are Available?" Asas.org. American Society of Animal Science, n.d.    Web. 21 Oct. 15.                         

Writing in Engineering (Prompt 3)

By: Tyler Lahusky

Many people believe that writing and engineering have very little in common and even clash with each other. However, contrary to prior belief, this may not be the case. Writing is more common in engineering than most people think! In fact, engineers may write up to 50% of their work time depending on their status in the company and the tasks they are required to perform. Using an interview conducted with Dr. Robert Lane, a professor of engineering at Texas A&M who holds over 30 years of experience, some light can be shed on how writing is conducted in the engineering world. All of the same concepts for writing in engineering certainly holds fast for a discipline of agricultural engineering.

            So what and how do engineers write? According to Dr. Robert Lane, engineers write a variety of things. Many reports and proposals are written by engineers. When an engineer has to solve problems, a report that outlines the problem and every aspect of possible ideas for solutions must be written. Most of what they write is fabricated into an analytical format. Clear and specific steps that point to a distinct main idea is a must for writing in engineering.

            What are some misconceptions about writing in engineering? Most people think there is very little writing in engineering, or that it is unimportant. According to Dr. Lane, this is highly untrue. Depending on what you actually do and your rank in the company, writing may be a very large part of your everyday job. It holds significance importance in moving up in the company and staying competitive. If you want your ideas to be considered, you must be able to communicate those ideas clearly and accurately, making writing an extremely important skill in engineering.

            How is communication in general used in engineering? Dr. Lane says that communication is important in every aspect of engineering. The ability to transmit information from your studies to other people and propose accurate ideas are essential. Communication to higher level management individuals about economics regarding your project is also essential. In the beginning of an engineering career, writing is the most important form of communication. However, as you move up the company ladder, oral communication becomes more important. Supervisors and other higher level engineers must be able to translate what is in writing to speech that management can understand and easily take notice of their work.

            Clearly, writing and engineering go hand in hand. Learning from Dr. Lanes personal experiences gives one a vivid picture of writing importance within the engineering world.

Source: Online interview with Dr. Robert Lane, Professor of Engineering, Texas A&M

            Tamuwritingcenter. “Dr. Robert Lane, Writing in Engineering.” Media Type Video. Youtube. Texas A&M, 18 August 2010. Video. Retrieved: 20 October 2015.

Types of Work done in the Field of Animal Science

        In the field of Animal Science, there are what seems like endless possibilities when it comes to all of the different careers. From what I have said in previous posts, one might think that working on a farm or with agricultural animals is the only option, but that is not true. All of the career options include: animal behaviorist, animal nutritionist, animal scientist, animal trainer, bio technicians, embryologist, geneticist, humane educator, marine biologist, meat scientist, molecular biologist, veterinarian, and veterinarian technician.

       An animal behaviorist "develops and conducts experiments that lead to good scientific results and evidence. The end result of the studies is to provide conclusions that help people properly raise and care for animals" (Careers, "Animal Behaviorist). Simply, animal behaviorists try to understand why animals behave the way they do, and they try to improve how animals are raised and cared for.



       An animal nutritionist "makes animals grow faster and more efficiently through proper nutrition. They find types and amounts of feeds that affect growth or other traits in animals. Animal nutritionists also test feeds and feeding methods to learn what nourishes livestock efficiently and economically. Another area of study for the animal nutritionist is how to minimize waste for environmental consideration" (Careers, Animal Nutritionist).

 



       Animal scientists "work to develop better, more efficient ways of producing and processing meat, poultry, eggs, and milk. Dairy scientists, poultry scientists, animal breeders, and other scientists in related fields study the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, and growth of domestic farm animals. Some animal scientists inspect and grade livestock food products, purchase livestock, or work in technical sales or marketing" (Careers, Animal Scientist).

 

 

Animal trainers "train animals for riding, security, performance, obedience, or assisting people with disabilities. Animal trainers do this by accustoming the animal to human voice and contact and conditioning the animal to respond to commands" Careers, Animal Trainer). The 3 animals that are trained the most are dogs, horses, and marine animals such as dolphins.

 

Biotechnicians "do routine lab and clinical tasks, record information and assist in procedures. They are employed by research institutes and pharmaceutical companies that conduct research. In general, Biotechnicians work in research, development and testing. They are concerned with the laboratory work that goes on during the development and the manufacture of products" (Careers, Biotechnicians).

 

 

Embryologists "study the fertilized egg of an animal in any stage of growth before birth or hatching. They observe the way reproductive cells merge to make an embryo grow, and they compare the embryonic development of different species and the physical and biochemical agents that affect embryo growth. They also study the causes of abnormal embryo growth and development" (Careers, Embryologists). 

 

 

Geneticists "conduct research on genes and gene mapping. Mapping a gene is usually the first step in isolating it, determining its structure in detail, and figuring out how it works. They seek to explain the origin and nature of natural variation and the relationship of such variants to their environment" (Careers, Geneticist).

 

 

Humane Educators "teach and promote humane attitudes toward people, animals and the environment. This includes, but is not limited to, anyone who teaches animal welfare, animal behavior, environmental concerns, character education, cultural studies and others. Humane Educators may work for a variety of private and public agencies or independently and teach in formal, informal,and non-formal settings" (Careers, Humane Educators).

 

 

Marine Biologists "investigate salinity, temperature, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life. They examine various types of water life, such as plankton, worms, clams, mussels, and snails, specializing in the study of salt water aquatic life" (Careers, Marine Biologist). They can also be responsible for breeding and cultivation of certain species.

 

 

Meat scientists "usually work in the meat processing industry, universities, or the Federal Government to create and improve food products. They use their knowledge of chemistry, physics, engineering, microbiology, biotechnology, and other sciences to develop new or better ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering meat and other food products derived from meat" (Careers, Meat Scientist).

 

 

Molecular Biologists "work with genetic materials and biological agents or systems to modify or create new products or processes for specific uses in the fields of medicine, agriculture, food and beverage processing, specialty chemicals, and environmental science. Through molecular manipulation or engineering, biotechnologists can alter the genes and change the makeup or behavior of organisms" (Careers, Molecular Biologist).

 

 

Veterinarians "care for pets, livestock, sporting, and laboratory animals. They protect humans against diseases carried by animals. Veterinarians in private practice diagnose and treat medical problems, perform surgery, prescribe and administer medicines, vaccinate animals against diseases, and perform other tasks related to animal health and welfare. They also advise owners on animal care, behavior, nutrition and breeding" (Careers, Veterinarians).

 

 

Veterinary technicians "typically conduct clinical work in a private practice under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. They often perform various medical tests and treat and diagnose medical conditions and diseases in animals. For example, they may perform laboratory tests such as urinalysis and blood counts, assist with dental prophylaxis, prepare tissue samples, take blood samples, or assist Veterinarians in a variety of tests and analyses in which they often use various items of medical equipment, such as test tubes and diagnostic equipment" (Careers, Veterinary Technician). Vet techs are very similar to veterinarians, other than they aren't licensed like the veterinarian is.

 

 

- Jamie R.                                                                                                                                      



 



 

Source:

"Careers in Animal Science." Academics.aces. University of Illinois at Urbana, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 15.